| Natrang celebrates 37th foundation day, stages 'Riders to the Sea' | | |  Early Times Report
JAMMU, May 15: Natrang celebrated its 37th foundation day here this evening with the presentation of John Millington Synge's popular play 'Riders to the Sea' under the direction of Neeraj Kant at Natrang Studio Theatre, Jammu. In last 36 years through the selfless contribution of thousands of its associates, Natrang has brought the J&K theatre to the national and international limelight and its highly acclaimed plays vibrated the theatre world and proudly traveled the whole length and breadth of the country and also crossed the boundaries of India as well and won appreciation in Russia, Germany, UK, Singapore, Turkey, Hungary, Poland and UAE.
The play 'Riders to the Sea' was set on an island off the coast of Ireland, begins with Nora bringing in a small bundle with her and telling Cathleen that these may be the clothes of their brother Michael. The young priest told her a body of a drowned man was found at Donegal, and the body might be Michael's. The sisters are scared to open the bundle of clothes because they do not want their mother, Maurya, to know: Michael has been missing for a week and the family had already lost five men to the sea. Maurya is prepared for the funeral for Michael, with whiteboards for his coffin ready at the cottage. Maurya, Nora, and Cathleen discuss the last son, Bartley, who is also planning to go the sea to sell the family horses so they could get some money. Nora and Cathleen are convinced that Bartley should go to the fair at Galway to sell the animals, Maurya tries to stop him but paying no heed, Bartley changes his clothes, asks his sisters to take care of the sheep, and leaves without receiving any blessings from his mother. Maurya's laments are interrupted when islanders bring the body of Bartley into the cottage and tell the women that the grey pony knocked Bartley into the sea, where he drowned. Maurya gets on her knees near Bartley's body and sprinkles holy water on him.
She finally resigns herself to her fate as she claims that she will finally sleep at night because she no longer has anyone to worry about all the men of her family have died to the sea. The whiteboards that were supposed to be used for Michael's coffin will now be used to bury Bartley. Maurya prays that the souls of her husband, her husband's father, and four sons may rest in peace. |
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